Shall Never Surrender
by HollowPantera
Summary: Ever since Dante had dove into the Demon World to stop Argosax, Demonic activity has been down, but just enough to mask the growing darkness over Fortuna and potentially the rest of the world. With Dante's fate unknown, it's up to Lady, Nero, and Trish to "rescue" him. This is going to be one hell of a party! Rated M for safety (Yes my summary sucks)
1. Chapter 1

**Shall Never Surrender**

**Now for any of you readers that previously read any of my previous work, you're probably wondering, "Wait, what the hell is he doing writing here again?!" Well, while I am working on my own stories, I just couldn't shake the urge to try and create a storyline for a TRUE Devil May Cry 5. So remember, these are just my own personal ideas of what I think could have (or should have) happened to the canon. Please be merciful.**

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**Chapter 1: The Missing Hunter**

A harsh and even deafening quiet was all that kept her company in the dark and dusty room that was the front office of Devil May Cry. The sounds of the slight midnight breeze and the flipping of the coin did little to calm her nerves and heavy emotion. It had been over a month since Dante had selflessly plunged into the depths of the Demon World to stop Arogosax, when she herself was immensely more expendable. Lucia's thought always seemed to return to how Dante would most likely never return to live the life that he rightfully deserved. The son of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, who had taught her the lesson that devils never cry.

Lucia came to Dante's old shop often, flipping his coin, holding onto that sliver of hope that he would someday walk through the doors back, and back into the Human World.

_"My job is hunting devils. I know, he did the same thing."_ Dante's last words echoed through Lucia's mind as she caught the coin with a sad and grieving look in her eye.

"But Sparda…did come back." The feelings of grief, loss, and sadness crashing together and amplifying in her mind, Lucia began to feel the beginnings of tears in her eyes. That is until her thoughts were halted with the sound of a revving engine. Immediately recognizing it as a motorcycle, Lucia, out of habit, flipped the coin into the air, and rushed to the front doors of the office. Just as the coin stopped rolling on the floor and stopped flat, Lucia pushed open the front doors of Devil May Cry, and saw a white haired man in a trench coat get off a motorcycle.

It did not possible, but Dante had come back. There could be no other explanation.

"Dante…I can't believe…"

"Whoa, hold on lady." Lucia immediately stopped speaking when she saw the white haired man turn towards her. He had white hair like Dante, but that was wear the similarities ended. This man was much younger looking than Dante, maybe only in his late teens or early twenties, and wore a navy colored trench coat instead of dark red. The most glaring difference however, was the orange and blue aberration that was his right arm. "I don't know who you are, and I really don't give a damn, but I can tell you that I'm _not_ Dante."

The young man's attitude was definitely off putting as it was, but with his obvious demonic power, Lucia found him even more unsettling, and immediately brought out her daggers in defense.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" The young man only scoffed at Lucia and laughed to himself.

"I could ask you the same thing, seeing as this is Dante's place." Lucia watched as the man's hand went up to the hilt of the sword resting on his back. "If you really want to know that bad, the name's Nero, and I'm looking for Dante." The snarky and arrogant demeanor disappeared from Nero's eyes as his hand wrapped around Red Queen's hilt. "So stop wasting my time and get out of my way."

Lucia was at a loss. Nero obviously knew Dante, but how he was presenting himself left her wondering if he was an ally or enemy. Not willing to take any chances, Lucia lunched herself towards the white haired teen. Sighing in annoyance, Nero planted his feet, and uttered a short battle cry as he easily caught Lucia with his Devil Bringer. The sudden impact at being caught in such a vice like grip caused Lucia to drop her daggers as he floated helpless in the air.

"Now that wasn't very nice of you." Nero smirked slightly as he playfully chastised Lucia, but his mood darkened just as fast. "Look, I'm in a hurry, so do us both a favor and tell me where the king of the pricks is." Nero kept his other hand on Red Queen incase Lucia tried anything, but she could only remain still. As she looked at him, Lucia could tell that Nero was a complete punk, but he was not evil. Her response was airy and forced.

"He was sealed away…in the Demon World… a month ago, fighting Argosax." A look of slight confusion flashed across Nero's face at the mention of Argosax, but his more immediate and visible response came in an immense groan of anger and frustration. Not caring about Lucia anymore, Nero tossed her somewhat haphazardly towards the front of Devil May Cry.

"That fucking idiot! He just has to go and play hero while everything else here goes to shit!" Growing increasingly frustrated, Nero threw his right arm towards a nearby abandoned building, shattering it under his Devil Bringer's might. Lucia could only watch with terrified fascination. The building must have been over four stories tall and yet Nero's arm was not only able to shatter it to rubble, but also extend over two hundred feet to its destination. Still transfixed on the new destruction, Lucia nearly missed seeing Nero get back on the motorcycle and rev the engine.

"If Dante decides so show his face around here, tell him to come to Fortuna." This was the last thing that Nero said as he revved the throttle a few times, and soon sped off down the dark road with the roaring of the engine. Still reeling from the whole encounter, Lucia couldn't stand until the single light on Nero's cycle faded away in the horizon.

The combination of a quiet night, the rush of the wind, and a fast ride would normally been more than enough to ease Nero's mood, but now, none of them could even begin to help. Sure he was not fully expecting to find Dante at his shop with both Lady and Trish in Fortuna, and a severe lack of Demon activity in Dante's home city, but he sure did not expect to find some weird redhead hunter who told him that Dante jumped headlong into the Demon World. Again.

Nero had no idea of who or what Argosax was, but he hoped it was important because Fortuna had much more to worry about than just rebuilding.

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**Yes Yes I know this is fairly short, but it is only setting up the atmosphere of what is to come. For those few (and I mean VERY few) who may like Lucia, I'm not sorry to say that this will most likely be the only time that she shows up. All the other main characters, I like. Yes even Nero. So as story goes, all I can say is that it will involve ideas that I've had about plots holes and loose ends left in the series, and because of my intense rage at the new travesty that calls itself Devil May Cry. *shudders* Anyway...I actually have a new found desire to write these fics, so expect updates. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the reasonable wait for an update, but I've been side tracked/busy with other things ranging from the holidays, to school, to writing my own novel. Out of all my "side projects" however, I keep coming back to this because I can't resist trying to make a better story than Ninja Theory :D I don't have a problem, I swear. I'm just protective of my precious Devil May Cry. Anyway... remember to read and review. Oh, and one more thing, in this fic, Lady still wears the outfit from DMC 3 because I personally think it's 1. better looking, and 2. more battle suited.**

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**Chapter 2: Fortuna Ruins**

It had been over a year, but even as Nero rode the cycle up to then center of the town, he could still feel the sickening chills run up and down his body. The rubble that was once the main fountain remained untouched, with debris and destruction flowing with the water. Many of the surrounding buildings were hardly able to remain standing, having suffered from numerous attacks from the Demons and the battle with the Savior. As he got off Nero killed the engine and propped the cycle on its stand, he only took a glance over his shoulder at the giant stone structure that was once the Demonic monstrosity.

Santcus had been killed with the destruction of the Savior, but that didn't stop the feeling of slight paranoia and uncertainty every time Nero looked at it. Thinking he was acting like a scared little kid, Nero shook his head and began to walk to Port Caerula, the church that once served as the place for worshiping Sparda.

Other than the damage suffered from Dante's party crashing, the church had been relatively unscathed during the attack, and had since been converted into a new set of informal headquarters and temporary home while the rebuilding could be done. Many of the citizens had been killed, leaving only a few survivors that were left terrified of the next attack, leaving Nero to watch over them.

Just as he felt when he saw the ruins of the center of the city, Nero felt the familiar, but sinister chills run up his spine when he quickly took in the faces of the survivors and how their faces showed immediate signs of fear as the doors opened. Lady and Trish already had their weapons pointed at the door, having sensed a presence outside. Once they saw it was only Nero, they lowered their weapons and the citizens calmed down considerable. With a hard scowl, Nero closed the doors, with a slight crash.

"Did you find him?" With no threat in sight, Trish put her gun away in the holster on her lower back. Lady aimed Kalina Ann downward and leaned on it as she and Trish waited for Nero's response. He shook his head.

"Yes and no." Lady and Trish exchanged a look as Nero walked up the center aisle of the church before turning away and to the right. He inclined for them to follow. Nero tried his best to ignore the various faces of the citizens as they watched him, Lady, and Trish walk away from the main room. Nero had never minded becoming the unofficial guardian of Fortuna, but as time went on, he wondered if the citizens would ever regain their lost sense of security that they lost with the collapse of The Order. Once they were out of sight, and more importantly ear shot, Nero turned to the devil hunter and demoness.

"All right Nero, we ask where Dante is, and all you can give us is an obscure answer." Lady leaned against Kalina Ann, and even with her relaxed posture, and sunglasses, Nero could still feel the cold, hard, two toned eyes boring through him.

"Apparently Dante decided to have a party without us and went straight to the Demon World to have some fun with something called Argosax." Almost overcome by his own arrogance and annoyance, Nero nearly missed both Lady's and Trish's shock.

"Are you sure you have the name right?" Nero rolled his eyes at Trish.

"Did I stutter?" Feeling her own anger building, Trish took a step forward, ready to zap the look off Nero's face, but Lady stepped in between the two.

"We just need to be sure. Argosax was once a ruler of the Demon World, and is an immensely powerful Demon." Having dealt with Dante for years, Lady was used to anything that Nero could throw her way, and merely held her ground. "If that's the case, then Dante does have a legitimate reason for going to the Demon World again."

Still not caring for Lady's logic, Nero waved off his hand as he turned his back with a disgusted sigh.

"If Argosax was such a powerful Demon, then how does that explain why there's still an influx of Demonic activity around Fortuna?" Neither Lady nor Trish had answer for that. "Plus knowing Dante, he would have defeated this thing a long time ago, and yet he hasn't been seen by anymore one for months." Now turning back to his two companions, Nero wore a hard scowl. "The only explanation would be that Dante is still in the Demon World."

Trish pinched the bridge of her nose, as if suffering from the sudden onset of a headache, while Lady shook her head. Both of them were thinking the same thing. Dante had impeccable timing when it came to being absent. Dante remaining in the Demon World was a plausible explanation, but it still left many questions unanswered. Unfortunately, there was no time left to ponder any of these. A scream suddenly pierced the air.

Not even taking a moment to think about it, Lady, Nero, and Trish readied their weapons and rushed to the front of the church. All the citizens had already taken cover in the inner rooms of the church, having this become a sort of sickening procedure. With his hand on Red Queen's hilt, Nero kicked open the doors of the church and was immediately greeted by a horde of scarecrows, hell prides, sloths, and lusts. Not wasting anytime, Lady fired the first shot with Kalina Ann, quickly dispersing the Demons' ranks while simultaneously destroying a few in the explosion.

Their routine down to a science, Nero launched himself into the fray with his Devil Bringer and easily brought down several scarecrows and sloths with a quick shuffle. Not unaware of his back, Nero stabbed a scarecrow down to the ground with Red Queen while he took several quick, but deadly accurate shots over his shoulder with Blue Rose.

Covering Nero's back, Trish floated overhead and provided air support both with several deadly bolts of lightning and shots from her trusty gun. Any Demons that were caught unaware were quickly dispatched with a flurry of bullets from Lady's various array of firearms. With the scarecrow still under him, Nero revved Red Queen several times before riding the Demon head on into various other prides, mowing them down.

Just as Nero flipped off the now destroyed body of the scarecrow, the last of the stragglers were finished off by one last explosive rocket courtesy of Lady. All the Demons gone, Nero rested Red Queen on his shoulder as he took in the most recent destruction. To the unfamiliar eye, it would seem like nothing had changed, but to Nero, Fortuna was getting worse every time Demons made an appearance. Everything calm for now, Nero sheathed Red Queen and holstered Blue Rose, while Lady did the same with her guns. Trish slowly floated back down to the ground as a frown formed on her face.

"That's the fifth attack this week." With dust from the battle still on her boot, Trish kicked it off with an annoyed and tired sigh. "At this rate, we'll up to our necks in Demons, and there's no telling when the stronger ones will start showing up."

That was one very really possibility that none of the hunters wanted to think about, but with the increasing number of attacks day by day, Trish was not out of line with her statement. Looking up at the sky and seeing the rapidly descending sun, Trish decided that she would take the first petrol. Also feeling the fatigue, Lady stretched her shoulder before easily lifting Kalina Ann and returning to the interior of the church. Hardly having broken a sweat, Nero felt somewhat obligated to help Trish with the watch, but he knew he had other responsibilities as well.

With the doors left open for him, Nero walked slowly back into the church, and closed the doors behind him with a simple push.

"Nero…" It was times like this that hearing her voice made things bearable. Turning around, Nero saw Kyrie waiting for him. Ever since the fall of the Order, Kyrie had gotten rid of the old uniform in place of her old civilian clothes, which consisted of a modest length dark skirt, boots, and a white shirt with frills. Even with the Order gone, Kyrie wanted to help, and along with Nero, tirelessly went about helping the citizens heal. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…I'm fine. Just another attack, but nothing to worry about." With the way that Kyrie fidgeted with her fingers, Nero could tell that she was not convinced.

"You're tired Nero." Nero's eyes were soon downcast. He couldn't argue with that. "I know you don't get tired as easily as everyone else, but you need to learn to rest."

"I can't do that Kyrie." Still avoid her gaze, Nero tried to walk to his quarters, but Kyrie grabbed onto his arm. Giving up, Nero looked down into Kyrie's amber eyes.

"Yes you can. You're not alone in this Nero. You don't have to take on all this responsibility by yourself." Pulling him into a hug, Kyrie could tell that Nero was feeling somewhat better. Concerned for his health, but knowing that he would have to make rounds soon, Kyrie leaned up and gave Nero a quick but loving kiss. Pulling away, and feeling his doubts fade away, Nero gave Kyrie a smile.

"Thanks Kyrie, I'll remember that." Returning the smile, Kyrie patted Nero on the cheek before she left to tend the orphans. While Nero, Lady, and Trish kept the Demons at bay and managed to maintain a sense of calm among the elders, they were somewhat off putting to the children, and Kyrie was left to tend to them. As he watched Kyrie leave, Nero could feel someone's eyes on him. Turning to his left, he saw Lady casually leaning against a wall, and just barely turning her head in time. With a smug grin, Nero walked over to the female hunter. However, when he saw her frown, he could guess what was bothering her.

"I miss him too you know." However, that frown was soon gone.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lady's response was a tad harsh, leaving Nero with only more confirmation that he had. He wasn't stupid.

"Come on Lady, I saw you watching me and Kyrie." Lady didn't say anything. "And even with your sunglasses, I can still see that you were crying." Despite the circumstance, Nero found himself smirk when Lady turned her head so as to hide her blush and tight scowl.

"If you think that I have feelings for that asshole Dante, then you must be insane." Lady tightened her grip on Kalina Ann, and blushed slightly darker when Nero laughed a little.

"All I said was that I missed him too. I never said or asked if you had feelings for him." Feeling increasingly aggravated both with her own foolishness, and Nero's teasing, Lady grabbed Kalina Ann and hurriedly walked towards the front of the church. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

"I'm taking the next watch." Nero would have laughed at being able to annoy Lady so easily, but he could understand why she was in such a bad mood. He could easily relate. It was unbearably difficult to be away from someone you loved. Sighing to himself, Nero left to help Kyrie entertain the orphans until Lady finished.

Outside, Trish had just come back across the front of the church when she saw the large front doors open again. Instead of seeing Nero like expected, it was Lady who walked out, and down the front steps. Trish was a little surprised, but didn't care at the same time. Whoever would take over next and give her a break was still the same.

"Have the sudden urge to hunt for demons at night?" For a moment, Trish received no response from Lady as she took off her sunglasses and put them away in one of the many pockets on her skirt. Even though it was dark, Trish could see that Lady's eyes were red and puffy.

"You could say that." Adjusting Kalina Ann's strap, Lady shifted the weight of the large rocket launcher as she walked down the steps. "I also got bored sitting around and having to listen to Nero." As they were now eye to eye, Trish merely shook her head as she holstered her gun.

"You know, with all the years you've known Dante, I'm surprised the kid hasn't grown on you. They're more alike than I think Nero wants to admit." Trish had gotten to know Lady very well over the years, and she was able to easily notice the subtle stiffening of her body at the mentioning of Dante's name. Even when they first met, Trish knew that Lady loved Dante.

"Whatever. He's still a pain in the ass." Lady turned her back on Trish and waved her hand towards the front of the church. "You can take a break. I'll take over for a while. Just send Nero out in a few hours." Not saying anything else, and not waiting for Trish to offer a response, Lady began to walk around the outer edge of the fountain, towards the city. Trish frowned as she knew that between herself, Lady, and Nero, they only took hour long shifts. Lady must have wanted to be alone for a while. Sighing to herself and shaking her head, Trish casually walked up the steps of Port Caerula, and gave Lady's retreating form one last look.

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**Sorry about the reasonably short chapter, but I'm just trying to set up the kind of atmosphere I think would happen in the aftermath with the Order's fall. I figured I could add Lady and Trish as back up for Nero since we all know Dante prefers to run off suddenly on his own anyway. I also thought this could be a good time to show Lady's feelings towards Dante being gone since Nero and Kyrie's relationship is so well known and Nero himself has a alot of blaring similarities to a younger Dante. Speaking of that lovable Devil Hunter, expect to see him next chapter ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the wait, but I can't leave this story alone, so here you go with another update :D Now time for random new "DmC" bashing. The new "Vergil" looks like Wesker and Edward Cullen on a bad day -_- Yeah, just imagine that for a minute... Anyway, along with the story :P**

**Oh, and sorry about the relatively short length. I promise the chapters will get longer once things start moving along.  
**

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**Chapter 3: Hell's a Bitch**

It was times like these that Dante wished he had some badass background music as he hacked his way through every Demon that he saw. The thrill of taking Rebellion and loping a few heads from a crap ton of Demons never got old, but it could have been so much better if all the times were like back in the shop years ago. Oh well, not all days could be like that.

With a final shot from Ivory, Dante blasted the last Demon away that was stupid enough to try and sneak up behind him. Knowing that were none more in the immediate area, Dante put Ebony and Ivory back into the holsters on his back as he casually walked back to his motorcycle. Taking the time to relax, Dante folded his arms over his chest as he sat on the cycle and crossed his ankles on the ground.

There was no way of telling how long he had been here, but Dante was getting rather bored in the Demon World with no indication of how much time had passed. Sighing to himself, Dante began to wish that he brought along Agni and Rudra instead of Gilgamesh and Cerberus. Annoying as the twin Devil Arms were, at least they talked.

"What I wouldn't give for an extra-large pizza and strawberry sundae." The thought of sweet indulgence was interrupted as the moans of Demons caused Dante to open his eyes. Hearing the sounds drawing closer, Dante looked over his shoulder to see several Abyss being lead towards him, led by three Hall Vanguards. Sighing at the annoyance, Dante reached down to the side of his motorcycle and grabbed Pandora's handle.

Casually throwing the demonic briefcase onto his shoulder, Dante calmly walked to the other side of his motorcycle and a few feet closer to the slowly approaching Demons. His mouth turning upwards in a quick smirk, Dante threw Pandora on the ground, just as it transformed into the deadly Revenge Laser Cannon.

"Just when I was about to have some company." Looking down the sight, Dante's smirk only got larger as the Demons were too stupid to stop their advance despite the massive weapon staring them down. "Oh well, can't win them all." Before they could get any closer, Dante fired, causing the powerful laser beam to pierce through the first Abyss before hitting the lead Hell Vanguard, and ultimately annihilating all the surrounding Demons.

All of the annoyances taken care of, Dante kicked Pandora up into his hand as he once again threw it onto his shoulder. As he put the briefcase back in its place and as he threw his leg over the motorcycle, Dante became aware just how quite it was. As he revved the engine, it became even more apparent as the sound seemed to echo for miles. Laughing out loud, Dante revved the engine again as he sped off, deeper into the Demon World.

Even with the surroundings being anything but tame, the silence left Dante doing something that he often never had time for. Think.

As much as he hated it, things in time past had caused Dante to evaluate what has been happening to him. Last time Dante remembered, it was a year since he had met Nero. While Dante thought he was still somewhat of a punk, he couldn't deny how much the kid reminded him of himself when he was younger. Unfortunately, it was the time that he was younger that Dante still has a hard time coping with. Sure, even then he had been a nearly unstoppable ass-kicking and stylish Demon Slayer, but it was also the time when he had lost his only family. Vergil.

Vergil may have become dangerously bitter towards his human side and its supposed weakness for not being able to protect their mother, but Dante still hated how his brother had fallen so far into an obsession for more power. The memory of seeing him clutching at their mother's amulet in the rain still caused Dante to feel chocked up.

Through their encounters in Temen-ni-gru Dante had a small part of him that hoped for some sort of outcome where he could keep his family. The memory of teaming up to battle a possessed Arkham still managed to put a small smile on his face, but Dante always remembered the scene after that most of all. The moment when Vergil fell into deeper into the Demon World, only to slash at Dante's desperately extending hand, and wore nothing on his face except a look of disappointment.

Remembering the scene, Dante revved the engine even harder, causing the cycle to kick up into a wheelie at the sudden onset of power. In his sadness and frustration, Dante lifted his left hand from the handle bars and delivered a shattering punch into the face of a Hell Pride that he passed. The impact behind the momentum of the cycle and Gilgamesh caused the Pride to instantly crumble into dust.

Even with all the torment that he went through that night in Temen-ni-gru, Dante would always smile at the one experience that made it almost bearable, and the one person who continues to keep him _somewhat_ grounded.

Dante had to give Lady credit, she definitely wins the award for best first impression, even more so than Trish. Sure Trish had crashed into his office with her motorcycle, but Lady literally flew in on hers only to fire a missile at him, only for said missile to be ridden in stylish and extreme fashion. Even not knowing her name, and only seeing her for a few seconds, Dante instantly felt an attraction. When she vanished inside the tower, he had to admit to himself that he did feel somewhat disappointed.

The moment she literally fell into his hand was one to remember. Even when upside-down, Dante could tell that Lady was a knock out, and looking back at it now, even when she shot him in the head was something he laughed at. Looking around quick, Dante didn't see any obvious signs of Demons and slowed the motorcycle down and drove towards an alcove in a large rock face. Stopping the bike, Dante propped it up on the kickstand, and got off so he could rest against the cool rock.

Slipping Rebellion off his back, Dante placed his trusty sword on the ground as he sat and leaned his back against the rock wall. As he folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, Dante's mind began to wander back to when he and Lady first fought in the library. She had been exhausted from fighting nearly nonstop for hours, her face red from lack of air, and the sweat causing her hair to stick to her face. Even with her exhaustion, she had raised her gun towards him without a moment's hesitation, the way she showed an inhuman amount of determination to finish her personal mission, even with a heavy limp from the grievous wound on her thigh.

The battle that followed was anything but fair, with Dante merely avoiding Lady's assault of grenades, gun fire, and missile barrages, and only firing his own guns to deflect Lady's bullets. After a few minutes, and starting to feel the weight of her fatigue and injuries, Lady had begun to back away from him even as she continued to fire. Even with her gun out of ammo, she could not stop the determined motion of clicking the trigger nor could she stop the defiant flame in her bi-colored eyes.

Knowing that she was far past her limit, Dante remembered how he gently lowered her arm as he placed his hand on the bookcase above her head, and leaned in close. Up close, he was able to truly get a good look at her, and it was a sight he was sure to not forget. The way her hair clung to her face and half shaded her eyes, how her eyes were burning with a fire to keep fighting and also gave a silent plea for help. How her pink lips were slightly parted as she desperately tried to regain her breath and slow her rapidly beating heart.

All Dante said was "I'll take care of him" and the fire completely vanished from her eyes in place of a sense of peace, gratitude, and even disbelief. Unable to help himself, Dante leaned in further, hoping to steal a kiss, but Lady had turned her head to the side, as she blushed and bit her lip. Smirking to himself, Dante had pulled away.

As he began to fall asleep with his gauntlet covered hand wrapped around Rebellion's hilt, Dante had the image of a blushing Lady fill his mind.

_"I really wish I had gotten that kiss._" Unbeknownst to Dante however, he was not alone.

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**Personally I think it's pretty tough to make Dante stay in character because honestly it's hard to match just how freaking cool he is, but I think I'm doing all right. The reason why I have him thinking things over so much is that I got that impression from DMC 3. It seemed that every time he was finished talking to Lady, Dante would think things over which in turn would come up in later interactions he would have with not only Lady, but Vergil. And come on, you can't deny that Dante misses Vergil even with all the crap he put him through. How would you react if you're only living family member kept trying to kill you only for you two to work together so well, and ultimately ending up having a duel to the death and losing them forever? Oh, not to mention fighting a corrupted version of them later. Anyway... let me know what you think. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for a little bit of a wait, I just took my time educating myself on the new game. And now that it's been out for a little while and I've seen what there is to be offered, I can honestly say that I am still extremely disappointed. Do I hate the game, yes I do. Can I still see some good in it? A little. I'll try and be as un-objective as I can. I'll list the points of the game and give my opinions on them.**

**1. Level Design: This is something that is hard to argue with the game. The atmosphere of Limbo can be very nice depending on the level and at some points can be compared to Devil May Cry 1 and 3. However, sometimes the color palette is rather bland looking and reminds me of Devil May Cry 2. Definitely not a good thing.**

**2. Music: This is a very opinionated one for sure as many people will have different thoughts on this. For me personally, I really don't like it that much. I'm just not a fan of the screamo/dubstep kinda feel. I love traditional metal and thus I loved the music of the past games that combined this style with a sometimes haunting orchestral and symphonic elements. Devils Never Cry is a perfect example of this.**

**3. Gameplay and Combat: This one I have a big problem with. The problem is that the game is too easy to have the name Devil May Cry. Now before anyone comes and bites my head off, hear me out. The first unlocked difficulties have been said to be too easy, and for those that have played past games are given Nephilim mode as a harder mode, but even then it's reasonable. The thing is, back on the original Devil May Cry even the Normal difficulty would kick your ass. Hard was even more ridiculous, and DMD was only for the most insane. Devil May Cry 3 everyone knows was so hard that they had to make the Special Edition to fix, and even then the game would still kick your ass, and force you to actually learn how to play if you wanted to do well. **

**Now for the combat. Yes there are things that look and feel satisfying, like the Arbiter, and look cool like Aquilla, but everything else seems like I've either seen it in past games or it feels somewhat stagnant. For example, the gauntlets don't feel as heavy hitting as in the past, and the devil and angel pull are just Nero's Devil Bringer, but without the badass Buster moves. Two things I also find wrong with the combat are the lack of different styles and the lack of a lock on system. First the lock on. You could argue that having no lock on helps give a free flowing combat system, and I can see why some would say that, because in some instances it does. But if there's that one annoying enemy you want to hit but can't focus on, then there lies the flaw. Also in past games you could easily switch targets so... And with the lack of styles, it seems like the possibilities for combos are a lot less than in past games. I mean DMC 3 and 4 are eight and five years old respectively and yet people are stillcoming up with new combos. That's saying something.**

**4. The Story and Characters: To be fair to those who want to find out for themselves, I won't ruin the story you. I personally think it's disappointing compared to what was in the past. Now I will be the first to admit that DMC is not known for it's deep narrative, but if you take the time to see what's in later games, you can really see a deep theme a moral about family. For the characters, this is what I find to be the most unforgivable. There just doesn't seem to be that much respect to the past incarnations of the characters that the fans know and love. Sure this new "Dante" is still cocky, fearless, and what not, but he's also foul mouthed for the hell of it, has no respect towards anything of importance, and doesn't give a crap about anything other than himself. Character development fixes this somewhat, but the damage from the first impression has all ready been done. Vergil. Oh my f****** god Vergil. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING that made Vergil likable is pretty much GONE. The inner turmoil that made him a tragic villain is gone in place of personal agenda. Now in terms of female leads, unfortunately, they've only been plot devices in the series, but at least characters like Lady were still more than capable of taking care of herself, were badass, and lead to a deep amount of development in Dante, or Kyrie who was the reason for Nero accomplishing the impossible, Kat just seems like a forced lover interest.**

**Anyway, I'm rambling, and this is only my opinion. Just one last thing though. If you think about it, there was absolutely NO reason to reboot the series. Devil May Cry 4 was both a pretty good critical success with above average scores and was the highest selling game in the series. Plus there was an amazing amount of potential in the game in terms of Nero, and Dante passing on the torch. The series was still on a reasonable high and was in no need of a reboot. A good example of a series where a reboot was a good idea is Castlevania. The series was waning slightly, and Lords of Shadow was able to bring it back. Devil May Cry was still doing fine. It's just sad that we may no longer see this amazing series the way it's meant to be ever again.**

**Well that's why we're here! :D**

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**Chapter 4: The Blackened Angel**

Throughout the night there had been no other signs of or attacks from any sort of Demons, allowing for a rare opportunity to sleep without worry. Lady had been the last one to make the rounds, and even she had to finally admit to herself that she was working far too hard and that there was no reason to continue to deprive herself of sleep when she desperately needed it. Once she made the final round to Port Caerula, Lady quietly entered the church, knowing that no one else would be awake during that hour. Closing the large doors behind her with hardly a sound, Lady walked to her quarters, becoming aware of how empty the church sounded as her footsteps echoed on the marble floor.

Stepping into her semi-permanent new room, Lady closed the door behind her and uttered a long and tired sigh. She overworked herself and she knew it. Not being a full Demon like Trish or even part Demon like Nero left Lady with much less stamina despite her own peak athletic ability, and she had to admit to herself that she really was only Human. As she sat down on the admittedly soft bed, Lady placed Kalina Ann on the floor, but easily within arms-reach, and began to strip of her sweaty and warn clothes. As she unbuttoned her blouse, Lady started to wonder why she even bothered wearing that other ridiculous outfit in the first place. It was much more constraining, was not adequate for battling Demons, and was much more…risqué than she was used to. Then an image of Dante with a cocky smile on his face flashed through Lady's mind. She blushed.

"I'm such an idiot." As Lady completely took off her blouse, leaving her in her white bra, she heard laughter up and to the left. On reflex, Lady grabbed a pistol from her skirt, stood up, and pointed towards the door, only to see the one plaguing her thoughts. Dante.

"Oh, and what makes you say that babe?" Despite herself, Lady found herself blushing uncontrollably, and covered her chest with both her arms. She blushed even more when she saw that Dante was adorned in his old outfit, with just his read coat half covering his very bare, very lean and muscular upper body. Lady didn't notice how he had closed the gap between them until she felt the heat radiating from his body.

"Y…you shouldn't be here." As she looked up, Lady became aware just how close Dante was to her. She could see the intensity in his blue eyes, and yet they were very soft and comforting. The feeling of the cool wall against her back contrasted greatly with the way her face burned. Dante had his arm propped up on the wall above her head and he was leaning down close to her face. Lady made no motion to stop the half-Demon as he reached up with his free hand and removed her sunglasses.

"And you shouldn't hide those pretty eyes of yours." The whole situation was feeling eerily similar to Lady as she avoided looking at Dante's face. This was just like what happened in the library a few years back. Even though she had not known him that well, even back then, Lady knew that Dante was not just some Demon, or even the cocky arrogant bastard he played himself off to be. He genuinely cared about those he grew close to, and had a deep respect and love for humanity, along with being completely willing to put himself in harm's way if it knew he could protect others.

Glancing up at him now, Lady saw that he did not move and was only looking at her with kind eyes, and a genuine smile. Not wanting to regret this chance that she had, Lady let her gun drop to the floor as she grabbed Dante's coat and brought him even closer to her. Now with his familiar smirk etched on his face, Dante lowered his head towards Lady who in turn leaned up. With a blush coloring her face, Lady closed her eyes just as her lips were within reach of Dante's.

The quiet in the room was shattered by a loud banging on the other side of the door. Lady woke up suddenly in a cold sweat as she tried to become aware of her surroundings. Clutching the blankets close to her chest, Lady looked around somewhat desperately for Dante, sadly realizing that he was not there. It had only been a dream. A very enjoyable dream, but a dream none the less. The banging on the door continued, followed by a voice.

"Lady get up, there's something you've got to see!" At the sound of Nero's voice, Lady scowled. He couldn't have waited another few minutes?

"What the hell do you want Nero?" Lady shoved the sheets away from her body as she turned, draping her legs over the edge of the bed. She moved her sweaty hair out of her face.

"Just get your ass out of bed. You'll have to see it to believe it." Nero said nothing else as walked down the hall, and soon Lady could hear him banging on another door, most likely Trish's. Pissed that Nero would wake her up, Lady scowled, but knew with all that was happening, she had to take any and all warnings seriously. Quickly throwing on a fresh set of her outfit, Lady put on her sunglasses, and quickly checked her weapons before shouldering Kalina Ann and walking out of the room.

Just as Lady walked out into the hall was the same time Trish emerged from her own room. Lady could see the two guns holstered to either side of Trish's waist as well as Devil Arm Alastor on her back. Ever since the fall of Santus and the Order, Dante had decided it would best to keep the Sparda Sword under lock and key, which no one objected to, and had given Trish the Alastor as a replacement. It turned out to be a perfect fit as the Alastor complimented Trish's natural powers over electricity and amplified them to levels that were not possible beforehand. As the Demoness closed the door, she noticed Lady.

"I assume that Nero woke you up too?" Lady gave a curt nod, which Trish laughed at. Soon both Human and Demon started walking down the hall, noticing how all the citizens were huddled in the main room.

"Did he say anything about where we're going?" Lady kept her voice down so not to alert anyone. Trish nodded.

"Nero said to meet him on the roof. It didn't sound good." Trish and Lady didn't say anything else to each other as they came upon the stairs that would take them to the roof. As they opened the door to the roof, Lady and Trish saw Nero's back as he looked over Fortuna. The sun was just rising over the horizon.

"You're not going to believe this, but look out towards the east." Nero didn't look at either woman as he pointed out towards the sun. As Lady and Trish went next to Nero, they looked out towards he was pointing and could see what he meant when he said they would have to see it to believe it. Out near the horizon, illuminated by the light of the sun stood a Demon Gate Monolith.

"What…the hell?" Lady lowered her sunglasses slightly thinking it was a trick of the light, but she could clearly see the monolith standing on the horizon. "I thought Dante destroyed all of them a year ago." Lady pushed her sunglasses back into place as Nero scowled hard.

"He did. The only problem is that this one appeared just this morning."

"Are you sure about that?" Trish said as she glanced at Nero. The teen scowled again as he could hear the tone in Trish's voice.

"Positive. Just before the sun rose, I came up to the roof to clear my head when I saw _that_ come out of the mist in the distance. I went to check out for myself and it's definitely a Gate."

"I'll bet that's where the Demons are coming from" Lady said as she loaded her guns. "I'm guessing the reason why you woke us up was for us to all go and destroy it, right?" Nero nodded.

"Dante may not be here, but between the three of us we should be able to reduce that piece of shit to rubble." Nero glared at the monolith before her turned back towards the door. "Get ready. We're leaving asap." Sharing a look amongst themselves, Lady and Trish looked to the east one more time before they made the descent back to the main room and to make arrangements. Nero was quick to explain the situation to Kyrie, who was immediately afraid for his safety, but knew that he had faced worse. Not wanting everyone to panic, Nero explained to the citizens that he, Lady, and Trish were leaving to check a wider area of Fortuna and would return as soon as possible.

At the front steps of the church, Nero got on his motorcycle, while Trish climbed onto the back of Lady's. Lady was the only one wearing a helmet.

"Let's go." Revving the engine a few times, Nero caused his cycle to awaken, and soon giving it more power, turned away from the church and sped off. Not one to be easily shown up, Lady quickly brought her own bike to life as she followed after the part-Demon. The ruined buildings and streets that were once Fortuna were quickly left behind as Nero led the way on an old dirt road away from the city. Neither Trish nor Lady bothered trying to talk to Nero due to the roar of both cycles, but Trish couldn't help herself with talking to, or rather, teasing Lady.

"So I'm guessing you were upset to be woken up this morning." Trish leaned back on her seat, unafraid of falling off even at high speeds. Even though she was behind her, Lady could feel Trish's eyes on her back as she waited patiently for an answer. Even though Lady's face was hidden from view from both her back and her helmet, she couldn't help but blush at Trish's implications.

"How else was I supposed to feel when I have a puck kid banging on my door first thing in the morning?" At the sound of Trish's laughter, Lady risked a quick glance behind her as she saw the Demoness give a knowing smile. Not liking the gleam in her eyes, Lady turned back to the road in front of her.

"You know, that sounds like something Dante would say," The way that Lady's body tensed at the mention of Dante's name told Trish more than she needed to know. "That makes me think that he's been on your mind lately. Maybe even in your dreams perhaps?"

"Well now I can see why Dante enjoyed having you as a partner," Trish raised her eyebrow slightly as Lady seemed to be falling back onto heavy sarcasm. "You two both have a ridiculous sense of humor." All conversation between the two women stopped as they both heard the sound of Nero firing the Blue Rose. Focusing ahead of them, they saw the remnants of a Mephisto which was soon replaced by another. Before Trish or Lady could arm themselves, Nero fired another Devil Bringer shot at the cloak covered Demon, first knocking it into a nearby three, and exploding just as the two motorcycles passed by. For the first time sense they left, Nero glanced over his shoulder and shouted back.

"We're getting close if we've got a welcoming committee. It'd be rude to keep them waiting!" Anticipation of a battle driving his adrenaline to high points, and the thought of destroying the gate hardening his resolve, Nero revved the engine harder and gave the motorcycle a large burst of speed, propelling him forward. Also feeling the anticipation, Lady leaned forward as she revved her own cycle harder to keep up with Nero. With the momentum, Trish had to leaned forward and hold onto Lady to steady herself. As the Gate came into clearer view, the three hunters could see the hordes of Demons stalking along the road, seemingly oblivious to their presence.

As the line of trees finally broke, the three hunters could see that this Gate was not going to be anything like that had been encountered in Fortuna. While the structure was relatively the same, the markings were much more erratic and sinister, with more sharp angles than the smooth lines seen in Fortuna. The most striking feature however, came in the ominous red glow the radiated from the Gate and seemed to give off a strange aura. Three Hell Prides that walked away from the Gate were soon annihilated as Nero gave a hard turn on the motorcycle and lashed out with Red Queen.

The sounds of gunshots reverberated through the air as Lady began to open fire even before she brought her cycle to a stop. Not even bothering to wait for her to stop, Trish crouched on her seat and leap into the air as she rained bolts of electricity down on the oblivious Demons. Once Lady came to a stop, all three hunters could see that the Demons did not pay them any what so ever. Even as Lady and Nero shot and destroyed a few, none of them turned to fight, and the ones that were stalking in their direction did not bother attacking them.

"What the hell is going on here," Nero holstered Blue Rose as he put his hand on Red Queen's hilt, waiting for any of the Demons to make a move. Scanning the area, he saw that none of them were, and soon his eyes glanced up at the Gate. "It's like they think we're invisible." As Nero spoke, he noticed that the glow surrounding the Gate seemed to brighten. Before he, Lady, or Trish could comment on it, a small pulse of energy came off the Gate with a low hum. It was as if the Gate was a beating heart.

The hunters' attention was diverted from the Gate when they heard the chorus of Demonic moaning. Seemingly all at once, the Demons stopped walking away from the Gate and turned back, heading straight for them. Finding themselves surrounded, Nero, Lady, and Trish all readied their weapons as they stood back to back.

"The Gate must be controlling them somehow," Lady held out her machine gun and pistol towards the horde, waiting for one to make a move. "It's just like a hive."

"Well whatever the case, we still need to topple that eye sore!" As the horde got closer, Nero revved Red Queen a few times, eager to unleash it's power.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Still teasing her two friends, Trish grabbed Alistor's hilt, sending sparks of electricity into the air. Not bothering to wait anymore, the blonde haired Demon flew into the air, while sending bolts of lightning from her new Devil Arm. Once Trish left Nero and Lady behind, several Hell Prides and Scarecrows saw the chance to strike. Smirking to herself, Lady easily shot them all down before they could get any closer. Now with the Assaults getting closer, Nero unsheathed Red Queen and launched himself forward with an Exceed powered Streak. The intense heat and power from the blade tore through the shields of the lizard Demons as they desperately tried to land a clean attack.

Stopping his momentum after tearing through several Assaults, Nero snatched an unlucky one with his Devil Bringer and slammed it mercilessly into the ground with several agonizing bone crushing impacts. Still not finished, and with several more Demons fast approaching, Nero took the beaten Assault by the tail, and whipped it around like a fail, knocking back any that got too close. Spinning the Demon around one last time, Nero cocked his arm back and threw the battered Demon into a Sloth that tried to attack Lady from behind.

Giving a quick nod of gratitude, Lady continued to pump the Demons she saw full of lead. As he shot down numerous Lusts, Prides, and Envys, Lady noticed two Wraths in the center of a large group. Quickly holstering her guns, Lady took Kalina Ann from her back, and put the moaning Demons in her sights. Firing off a single rocket, Lady watched as the missile flew past all the unsuspecting Demons as it collided with the first Wrath, creating a large explosion. Under the stress of the first explosion, the second Wrath uttered an agonizing moan as it fell over and exploded soon after. The resulting blasts cleared the area of surrounding Demons and threw off several others, allowing Trish to fly over and easily fry them with several bolts of lightning.

The area seemed calmer for the moment as the horde was severely depleted, leaving only several straggling Mehpisots and Blood-goyles that were easily shot out of the sky. However, as the numbers dwindled fast, the Gate's red aura intensified, and the red pulse rang out again. Soon a red slit ran down the center of the gate like a fresh slash wound, and from its blood sprang more Demons. This time several more powerful Demons in the form of Hell Vanguards, Frosts, Blitz, and Faust emerged from the Hell Gate. Lady began to feel the onset of her fatigue as sweat drops fell from her plastered hair into her eyes. Annoyed at the inconvenience, Lady took off her sunglasses, putting them into one of the many pockets on her skirt.

Nero, Lady, and Trish soon regrouped as the larger horde of more powerful Demons made their approach.

"Can't complain it was getting too easy" Nero said as he revved Red Queen several more times, while shaking his sweaty hair from his face. "We need a different plan this time. The Gate's still the main priority."

"Trish and I will hold them back as best we can," Lady held up Kalina Ann, aiming it towards the center of the horde. "You're the best bet we have at making a dent in it Nero, so you rush through the gaps we make and it that Gate hard." Trish smirked a little at her Human friend.

"Since when did you give the orders around here?" Lady cast a sideward glance at Trish.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Now when did I say that?" Lady rolled her eyes at Trish's playfulness. Even now she could find time to make fun of her. With a loud verbal command, Lady gave the signal as Nero began to rush headlong into the horde of Demons. Confident in his abilities, Lady and Trish fired, unafraid of Nero getting caught in their sights. As several explosions went off, Nero jumped in and out of the Demons, using many of their heads as stepping stones, and punching any with his Devil Bringer that got too close.

As he landed on the face of a Hell Vanguard, Nero was angered to see that he had gotten himself surrounded. Even with Trish and Lady's support fire the Demons had managed to close in around Nero and prevent him from moving any closer to the Gate. As they closed in, Lady and Trish lost sight of him, and could not risk shooting without hitting Nero. Even though he was surrounded, Nero still smirked to himself. Just as the Demons were within arm's length, Lady and Trish saw the explosion of blue light and several Demons immediately vanish in a flash of blood and sand.

Calling upon his inner strength and that of Yamato, Nero unleashed his Devil Trigger, causing the surrounding Demons to hesitate just enough to bring about their death. Lady and Trish could watch in awe as Nero let loose several Summoned Swords, impaling dozens of Demons without even looking, and grabbed a Frost with snatch, only to swing it around with frightening speed and propel it through the horde, completely shattering their ranks.

With the way cleared, Nero kept running ahead until he was just in front of the Hell Gate. While keeping the Demons at by with his Summoned Swords, Nero braced himself as he held Red Queen behind him and charged his power. Once he felt it reach it's peak, Nero smirked and uttered a yell.

"Cry out loud!" With an upward arc slash with Red Queen, Nero created a giant arch of blue energy that was soon matched from the spectral Yamato that flew forward with tremendous speed. Any Demons that were in its path were instantly blown away as it made its way toward the true destination. Soon the cross section of energy collided with the aura of the Hell Gate, seeming to struggle against the ghastly red aura. Nero maintained his Devil Trigger as his grip on Yamato got tighter, waiting anxiously to see the effect on the attack on the Gate. Lady and Trish felt the same trepidation, and the surrounding Demons even seemed to be transfixed by the display. Not a second later, Nero's Maximum Bet blasted through the Gate, leaving an X shaped gash through the stone. Several cracks rang out from the initial area, until they reached the edge of the gate.

Unable to fully believe what they were seeing, Nero, Lady, and Trish could only watch as the red aura surrounding the Gate vanished, and with it, all the Demons in the area. While the Gate still stood, it was now much more vulnerable, and ready to be torn down. Before anyone could raise their weapons for the final blow, three distinct red orbs appeared in the center of the Gate, followed by a deep and haunting voice.

**"You're strength is admirable, but useless." **At the sound of the voice, Nero and Lady looked up to the Gate, weapons at the ready. Trish found herself starting to shake. **"My returning to this world will not be interrupted."** Nero was not buying it.

"Who the hell are you?! Come out and face me if you think my strength is useless!" With his Devil Trigger still active, Nero's voice was deeper, and had much more of an echo and power to it. Even with his own added power, Nero couldn't stop the shiver he felt when he heard the laughter again.

**"You truly do not know what you stands before you."** The voice was soon gone after that, and with it, the three red orbs. Looking around and seeing the threat was gone for now, Nero resealed Yamato and let out a breath. Lady stood Kalina Ann up vertically as she bent over to catch her breath and slow her pulse. She may have come out relatively unscathed with only a few cuts and soon to be bruises, but it was still incredibly draining. As she was catching her breath, Lady looked up and saw that Trish was still shaking.

"Hey, Trish, are you all right?" The female Demon didn't answer and Lady was starting to get worried. Before she could stand up and see what was wrong, Nero came up and shook Trish by the shoulder.

"Hey Trish, snap out of it!" Just as Nero was about to shake Trish harder, and with his Devil Bringer, she began to speak.

"It's him….he's back." Unsure of what she was talking about, Nero and Lady looked at each other unsure of what to do. Standing up, and strapping Kalina Ann down, Lady walked over to Trish as Nero stepped away.

"Who?" As Lady looked at her friend, trying to help her, Trish could only look up at the severely damaged Hell Gate.

"Mundus." Trish may have only said one word, and neither Lady nor Nero knew who or what Mundus was, but they knew from the way that Trish said it, or how it seemed to affect her, they knew that it was anything but good.

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**I'm sure anyone of you knew it was Mundus even before Trish said so, but hey Lady and Nero never encountered him, so what can you expect? So it looks like the Ruler of the Demon World is rearing his ugly head again and is planning on coming back through the Gate. So what does this mean for the Human World? And if this Gate just appeared, what does that mean for Dante in the Demon World? Well you'll have to wait and find out ;)**


End file.
